Sleeping Birdie

cast

Art by Joe Mathieu.

Sleeping Birdie is a Sesame Street Live show first produced by VEE Corporation in 1990. The show was repeated in the United States on tours from 1991 to 1994.

Plot

Tee Hee and the Yellow Queen are from the land of Crayon. When they visit Sesame Street, the Yellow Queen is appalled to discover that Big Bird is more yellow than she is. In her jealousy, she casts a spell to make him sleep and plans to cover him with purple polka-dots.

Tee Hee and the Sesame Street Muppets go to the library and discover that a prince or princess must kiss Big Bird to wake him up. Everyone blows kisses at Big Bird who wakes up just in time.

The Queen accidentally gets her polka dot dust on herself and breaks down in tears. Once the Amazing Mumford turns her back to yellow, she finds that she is no longer jealous.

Characters

Big Bird, Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Grover, Elmo, Prairie Dawn, The Count, Oscar the Grouch, Telly Monster, Tee Hee, The Yellow Queen, The Amazing Mumford, Honkers, Rhoda

Voices

• Jim Henson as Ernie
• Frank Oz as Bert, Cookie Monster and Grover
• Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
• Jerry Nelson as The Count and The Amazing Mumford
• Fran Brill as Prairie Dawn
• Kevin Clash as Elmo
• Martin P. Robinson as Telly Monster
• Diana Pemelton as Tee Hee
• Steve Beckham as The Yellow Queen

Acts

Act I:

• Once Upon a Time
• Imaginary Postcards
• Eight Balls of Fur
• Dancing Crayons
• Monsters in the Mirror
• The Yellow Queen of Crayon
• Landing on Sesame Street
• For the Birds
• The Spell

Act II:

• Big Noise on Sesame Street
• Friendship
• Rock 'N' Roll Readers
• At the Library
• Prince and Princess Rap
• A Magic Moment
• Purple Polka Dots
• The Amazing Mumford
• Happily Ever After

Songs

Original Songs

• "Once Upon a Time"
  Lyrics by Norman Stiles and Don Harper, Music by Don Harper
• "You're the Best You"; "For the Birds"
  Lyrics by Tom Child, Music by Don Harper
• "Prince and Princess Rap"
  Lyrics by Norman Stiles, Music by Don Harper and Tom Calderero
• "Big Noise from Sesame Street"; "Happily Ever After"
  Lyrics and Music by Don Harper

Music

• "Sesame Street Theme"
• "Monster in the Mirror"
• "Eight Balls of Fur"
• "Fuzzy and Blue"
• "At Your Library"
• "Rock 'N' Roll Readers"
• "Postcard Song"
• "Rubber Duckie"
• "Doin' the Pigeon"
• "The Peppermint Twist"
• "Marian the Librarian"
• "Swinging on a Star"
• "Friendship"
• "The Hokey Pokey"
• "By the Beautiful Sea"

Credits

• Executive Producer: Vincent E. Egan
• Produced by Bob Shipstad
• Written by Norman Stiles
• Directed and Choreographed by Diane Arnold
• Art Direction by Jim Waters
• Music Direction by Don Harper
• Lighting Direction by David Agress
• Character design by Jim Henson, Donald Sahlin, Caroly Wilcox, Kermit Love, Michael K. Frith
• New Sesame Street Live Characters designed by Jim Henson, Michael K. Frith
• Costumes designed and built by Jim Henson Productions, Inc.
  • Design and supervision of construction: Connie Peterson
  • Assisted by Tom McAlister, Michelle Matland, Jason Weber, Fate Kreinberg, Don Creech
  • Additional costumes designed by Julie Zobel
  • Mechanical animation by Mae Canaga, Marilee Canaga
• Vocal Recording Coach: Dave Conner
• Program — Sesame Street Illustrations by Joe Mathieu

Note

• This show and Let's Play School were the first Sesame Street Live shows to open after Jim Henson's death. The programs for both shows feature a dedication page for Henson. Though the text does not directly mention his passing, the page quotes a letter Henson wrote that was read at his memorial service. Modified versions of this dedication were included in programs for other touring shows as late as 1992.

“Since 1955, when he began his career with a local puppet show on a television station in Washington, D.C., Jim Henson's name has become synonymous around the world with all that's best in family entertainment. Audiences of all ages are enchanted, enriched and inspired by the joyful magic of Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Muppet Babies and Fraggle Rock. Beloved by millions, his furred and feathered, goggle-eyed and gap-toothed creations are as familiar to us as our own friends and families, and just as real.

Creativity, not commercialism, was always foremost in Jim's thoughts. He created the worlds he wanted to explore, hoping that we would want to come along, too. And we did. And along the way we have all learned so many things — about our world, about ourselves, about the inexhaustible opportunities life brings.

Jim had many gifts, but perhaps the greatest was the one he left us all, the realization that dreams really can come true.

Please watch out for each other and love and forgive everybody. It's a good life, enjoy it.”

Merchandise

Program

back cover

Apparel

Gallery

External links

• The Spokesman - "Opera House is address for Sesame Street Live", November 22, 1991
• Video footage